Match Thread - Toronto FC at Chicago Fire - August 19, 2017 (R)

Nice that Chicago's game in hand is this Wednesday in Montreal while TFC has the full week to prepare. A rare occasion where I shall be cheering for the Impact to not only win but make the match as difficult and fatiguing as possible.

 

Aside from the large implications for this year's league standings, this game will be a useful test of how the team might perform in the CCL. An important away game against a strong opponent. How TFC goes into this game may show us something about the attitude they'll be taking with them into Mexico later on.

 

^CCL will be more about weather and altitude than attitude.

 

Honestly, don't care at this point about CCL...this is a guage against one of the better teams in MLS and our only goal this year should be gunning for a championship. We were too close last year and nothing is guaranteed but you have to take your shot when you get them. Window is short. If we won last year, then CCL could be the next big challenge this year, but until we have an MLS championship nothing really matters to me (insert corny Queen lyrics here).

 

The game against Colorado was a true test of how TFC will fare in CCL against CONCACAF opponents. Players flopping, diving, rolling around with fake injuries, and the refs completely buying all of it.

 

and once we have an MLS championship we'll be able to use different corny Queen lyrics.

 

At least we'll presumably have the advantage that Chicago won't be bunkering and playing for the draw.

 

Chicago are trending in the wrong direction which might be bad news for us. They could be even more motivated on Saturday because of how badly they've beaten the past two games.

 

Or maybe they are not as good as we once thought?

 

I do think New York is now the bigger threat based on form.

Also, I remember thinking long ago: Montreal is doing terribly this year but we don't play them until the end of the season. I bet somehow by the time we get to play them they will have managed to become a better team. And here we go. It's never easy.

 

Chicago has only two wins on the road which is shocking for a team that is supposedly an MLS Cup contender. Montreal didn't just beat them, it looked like they didn't even belong on the same pitch. Chicago with tons of possession never advancing anywhere and then the Impact would go on a counter and generate a quality scoring chance every time as the Fire defenders looked like they had no idea what to do. Could it be that their success was just a mirage and this is really just last year's team which finished in last place and an aging Schweinsteiger after all?

 

1-nil TFC at the half. Delgado' 3rd of season

 

3-1 Toronto is your final.

Chicago finally loses at home.

 

And looking at the standings, they are only six points clear of Atlanta who isn't in a playoff position and has played three fewer games!

 

I do think that Chicago is a slightly overrated team, although much of that is because the league keeps going all fanboy over Schweingsteiger. The all-star game coverage was all about him. And it almost seems like Chicago is the new LA Galaxy for MLS.

That being said, they still are a decent team and they did have some chances last night. They are definitely a playoff team still in my opinion.

 

I think part of their slump has to do with the fact that Nikolic has stopped scoring.